THE LIFE OF AN ENTREPRENEUR: BUSINESS STUDENTS HEAR FROM DRAGON’S DEN STAR
10.11.2026HNC recently welcomed entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den star, Derry Green, for an inspirational lecture about the challenges and rewards of the entrepreneurial life – and how he turned around from a failing business during the pandemic to a company that turns over 2 million pounds a year.
HNC’s A Level and Applied Business students, who explore entrepreneurship as part of their studies, recently enjoyed a brilliant guest lecture from Derry Green, who runs The Secret Garden Glamping company, a luxury staycation and glamping brand. Derry, who has worked across a number of sectors, sadly lost his European transport business in the height of the pandemic when Europe went into lockdown. Derry shared more about the challenges and worries he faced during that period – and how he turned those worries into a new business after building his children a ‘glamping’ pod in the family home’s back garden to stay occupied during the lockdowns.
The initial pod story was picked up by UniLad – a large online social news outlet- and went viral, leading to Derry appearing, and successfully securing investment on, Dragon’s Den. The company, which has now been operating since 2020, turns over millions of pounds each year. During the talk, Derry also shared more about the power of marketing, social media and branding, and how as an entrepreneur he overcame challenges and barriers to achieve success.
Amanda Beirne, Teacher of Business, comments “We were delighted to welcome Derry to HNC to share more about his incredible journey as an entrepreneur. Derry’s message of perseverance and never giving up despite facing challenges is an important one, showcasing how running a successful business is not often a linear process, and how businesses must adapt to the market and variables outside of their control to thrive and ultimately return a profit. I know many of our Business students aspire to run their own companies one day, and hearing directly from a successful business owner will help them to understand the skills needed to achieve their dreams. Thank you to Derry for a truly inspirational talk!”
Join us on Wednesday 11 November to discover more about studying for a Level 3 Business qualification at HNC.
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